16-18 September up the River Lee

Saturday 16 September up the River Lee Navigation to the Lee Valley White Water Centre above Waltham Town Lock (13 miles, 8 locks)

Today was another cloudy day with sunny intervals and brief showers. We had been warned that the banks were lined with boats 12 miles up to the M25, and near London this was true. There were lots of floral displays at houses bordering the river, as well as areas with warehousing and industry. Most of the wide locks (spaced every mile or so) were paired, with the right hand one powered, going upstream. Alfie's (aka Pickett's) Lock was manual and the left hand side was powered at Ponders End Lock. High banks hid the miles of reservoirs which supply 10% of London's water. Unusually, we passed lots of boats moving, although nearly all were youngish couples on residential boats who may have been changing mooring on a Saturday. These boats usually have different paraphernalia on the roof to touring boats.

Once past the North Circular Road at Edmonton, moored boats reduced a lot. The remaining miles were pleasant enough, with more reservoirs hidden to the East, while redeveloping industrial sites and housing were to the West. Some lock gates were open when we arrived – whether due to idleness, bad balance or wind, we were not sure. We took our time and chatted to folk we passed or shared locks with.

Ascending Waltham Town Lock, we could hear loud music over the hedge, which turned out to be the Lee Valley White Water Centre, 200 yards away! Mooring by an entrance, we popped in to watch daughter Jo have a long practice session on the Legacy course, the easier of two courses built for the 2012 Olympics – and our Olympic team are here this weekend! A fry up and Match Of The Day finished the day.

Sunday 17 September at Lee Valley White Water Centre

Liana and Annie at the Lee Valley White Water Centre

We spent the day with Jo and Mark, watching Jo practise, then have two runs on the Legacy Slalom course. We all enjoyed the 2017 National Slalom competitions for men and women, including national champions and our Olympic paddlers.

Monday 18 September up the River Lee to Stanstead St Margarets (8 miles, 5 locks)

Today was cloudy, occasionally sunny, with slow, difficult manual locks, with gates usually left open by the last users, which seems to be normal here. The river is fairly wide and much moe rural now. Showers, some heavy, meant wet weather gear and umbrella at times.

2490 92 We passed various craft and followed a huge widebeam trip boat from Broxbourne to Dobbs Weir Lock. 2494 The Fish and Eel pub above this lock looked welcoming, with moorings: Maybe on the way back? Some locks have water points at the lockside, which means watering boats occupy the lock landing and use long hoses.

Feilde's Lock

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leaving Feilde's Lock at confluence of the River Lee (left) with the River Stort (right)

At Feilde's Lock, we used the Elsan and water point (littered with rubbish bags by boaters, sadly) below the lock, before passing the River Stort confluence and stopping in torrential rain at Stanstead St Margarets. 2498

9-11 Sept The Thames Ring clockwise with Rachel

Saturday 9 September Paddington Basin to Limehouse Basin ( 6 miles 12 locks) and up the Thames to Brentford moorings (17 miles, 3 locks)

To reach Limehouse before 1.50pm, we set off at 7.15am, under the amazing Paddington cityscape and around the island at Little Venice, with hardly a person about! Singing through Maida Vale and Islington tunnels, we enjoyed the Camden lock scene again, although the massive building program means you can't walk easily between the locks. 

Rachel and Honeypie did some walking.

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Through City Road Lock we saw a floating hot tub, the Hot Tug! Amazing!

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Some locks were so leaky that we needed help to open gates.

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Past artistically painted widebeams and container flats, we reached Limehouse Basin in time for a quick late lunch.

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Leaving Limehouse basin with a cruiser, we immediately crossed a river rowing race with loads of boats, all rowing up river. John moved Annie to the middle of the river, giving them and their safety boats room., while avoiding tourist hydrofoils and other boats coming in both directions.

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Passing the police pontoons, we passed through Tower Bridge, viewing the Shard, Tower, HMS Belfast and the Houses of Parliament with Rachel.

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Fulham FC were playing as we and the rowers passed the roars of the crowd.

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People were cheering the rowers from bank, boats and bridges as Heathrow-bound airliners crossed overhead under dark, threatening skies. A heavy shower drenched them for half an hour before relenting. John had prepared better today, wearing his yellow waterproofs.

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We were passed by widebeam Elysium, whose skipper we had talked to at Limehouse about Channel crossing and continental canals, and even saw a dragonboat.

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We crossed the river through a gap in the rowing boats and passed up the tidal creek to Brent Tidal Lock.

Through Brentford gauging Locks, we moored under the historic sheds.

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In the twilight two narrowboats passed us, having come down river from Teddington Lock after the river was opened to navigation at 6 pm.

Sunday 10 September Brentford through Bulls Bridge to Greenford (10 miles, 10 locks)

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Rachel needed to transport her dog Honeypie and herself via a disability friendly station, we settled on Greenford, on the Paddington Arm, four miles from Bulls Bridge, with its Central Line station.

Honeypie is still unsure she likes boating! Leaving the fancy embellishments on the old sheds at Brentford behind in the sun, we passed up Clitheroe and Osterley locks, up the River Brent, which bypassed each lock.

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Two charming and humorous ladies on NB xxxx joined us for the “thick” of six adjacent locks and last two, making our journey interesting and entertaining. John sorted out the knots on their fender lines, at their request. A single handed boater showed Liana, Rachel and the ladies how to make the top gate close using his stern rope.

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With strengthening winds and darkening skies, we waved farewell and motored on two miles to Bulls Bridge junction, turning sharply and passing between industrial redevelopment.

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We passed  Willowtree Marina and the Engineers Wharf to near Lyon's Dock, where we moored and walked Rachel and Honeypie to their train. After shopping and tea, John watched the recorded Match of the Day in horror, seeing Liverpool lose 5-0!

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Monday 11 September back to Little Venice and Paddington Basin (9 miles, 0 locks)

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An easy day today: Up late, wait for sunshine, set off past the sadly unused pristine Lyon's Dock and the Black Horse, golfers at Perivale to the North Circular Aqueduct, where John cleared plastic bags from the propeller.

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The eclectic mix of residential craft included a round orange survival craft, towed by a lifeboat. Graffitti was evident on walls, bridges and even a train: thankfully, much of it was artistic.

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Some housing was almost overlapping the water. 2308 13 14 17

At one corner, we met widebeam No Problem XL, the new boat of long time bloggers Vic and Sue. We had to reverse hurriedly, as she was on our side, but we soon realised why: On that turn a strong wind pushes you hard across the canal, as we found ourselves. I could not take a photo until they were well past. 2310

The Westway A40(M) loomed over us as we approached Little Venice. 2327 28

Arriving in the amazingly modern Paddington Basin, we managed to moor Annie alongside the 7 day moorings. 2330 32